Skin Cancer Screening Mobile Unit
The current skin cancer screening program has been a Lions District C2 project since 2011 and District C1 since 2014. The following outcomes have been achieved:
- 17,695 (March 2021) people have been screened
- very high referral rate of 23% to general practitioners for further investigation
- 3,963 have been identified as having suspected life threatening lesions if no further medical attention is taken.
The Two C1 & C2 Districts have 135 Lions Clubs throughout South Australia, Northern Territory and areas of western Victoria and New South Wales
Australia's Skin Cancer Epidemic
- Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world.
- Two out of every three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer.
- It is the most common cancer affecting young Australians.
- Early diagnosis has a dramatic and critical impact on successful treatment because skin cancers can grow rapidly.
- If a melanoma on the skin’s surface is treated, you have a better than 95% chance of a normal life span. But, if not diagnosed and treated, that same melanoma can, in only a few months, grow down into the skin just 4mm – it is then odds-on that you will die within 5 years.
- Every day, 6 Australians die from skin cancer.
- Quite aside from the human cost, the cost to the Australian health system is over $1 billion a year; and to the Australian economy in lost productivity over $2 billion a year.
- Skin specialist services in SA and NT are limited or non-existent outside of Adelaide –
- There are no public funded skin cancer screening programs.
- There are 39 dermatologists in SA/NT – all live and have their principal practices in Adelaide.
- If a Darwin resident has a skin abnormality that they are worried about examined in Adelaide, the cost of time off work, travel, accommodation, and medical costs not covered by insurance is a minimum of $1,500.
- For Australia’s indigenous population, who make up a third of the Northern Territory’s population and earn just $270 per week, skin cancer screening and/or treatment are simply out of reach.
Skin Cancer Screening for South Australia and Northern Territory
The geographical area covered by C Districts is absolutely enormous, servicing some 135 clubs located throughout South Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of Western Victoria and New South Wales. The challenge of serving these areas cannot be overstated.
In 2021 the Unit is undertaking an extended trip to the West Coast and Eyre Peninsula, screening in Port Lincoln, Cleve, Kimba, Wudina and Lock.
It is planned to take the unit through the Northern Territory in 2022.
Thanks to the generosity of Lions club members in both districts, and the public that donate to this program this valuable work can continue.